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Letters to the Editor

Thank you for the logic of your endorsements ("Nader deserves more than votes," MT, Oct. 25-31). My only complaint is that you did not follow through on all of the state races. I would have liked you to also endorse U.S. House and Michigan state House and Senate candidates. They have a high impact on all of the issues facing our state, and will assist in drawing new political boundaries for the election districts for the next election. —Jeff Jenks, Huntington Woods

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Steamed Green

How sad that the MT goes right to the edge in hailing Ralph Nader's candidacy, but stops short of endorsing him. This is exactly why progressive people wind up in the same pitiful place every four years. A vote for Nader helps to build a credible progressive third party. If the Green Party gets enough votes to qualify for federal funding in the next election, American politics will change qualitatively. That is a worthwhile and honorable thing to do with your vote. —Elissa Karg, Detroit

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Abel raises Cain

Endorsing Debbie Stabenow must be a bitter pill considering her support of the drug war, and the Metro Times' strong opposition to it. It was somewhat surreal to read the article on the damage caused by the drug war in the same issue as the endorsement ("Just say war," MT, Oct. 25-31).

Debbie will generally vote much more progressively than Spencer Abraham, but so would my beagle. Your endorsement should not have been made without expressing some concern with her positions supporting the nuclear power industry and the Overseas Private Investment Corp., and urging her to have some courage in fighting the drug war.

I guess a politician cannot win without being "tough on crime," but to let that go without comment does a disservice to all of your work in covering the damage caused by our war on drugs.

I would legalize marijuana, cut defense, move quickly on alternative sources of energy generation. And I would continue to refuse money from political action committees.

I have a track record in fighting for campaign finance reform of judicial elections in Michigan. My work has been described as courageous and effective.

Yes, Debbie is better than Spence, but she's still not the person I want to represent me in the U.S. Senate. I may have no track record, but at least I don't have Spence's record, or even Debbie's.

With courage, seems to me either you have it or you don't. I can develop a track record, but can Debbie develop the courage to say the drug war is wrong?

Maybe next time you might interview me, before you dismiss me so quickly. As one of my heroes, you have lost some of your shine, but least you spelled my name right! —Matthew R. Abel, attorneyabel@mediaone.net, Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate

For more information on Matthew Abel and his Senatorial campaign, visit his Web site.

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Third view

Planning to vote for the "lesser of two evils" again this year?

Do you think Al Gore will wake up the day after the election thinking, "They elected me because I don't suck as bad as Bush?" No. He'll think, "They love me; I have a mandate." Is that the message you want to send?

For too long, Republicans and Democrats have enjoyed a duopoly of power, allowing them to monopolize the electoral process by exploiting the "lesser-of-two-evils" strategy to their mutual advantage. A third alternative changes the dynamics of an election because it becomes difficult for the principals to form "wink-and-a-nod" agreements. The Ds and Rs may appear to be at odds over some issues, but they are united in their determination to keep the political process all to themselves. They have used their positions of power to design election laws which make it difficult for challengers and nearly impossible for "minor" parties to compete against them.

A good showing by any third-party candidate awakens voters to the idea that they are not stuck with having to select from two unpalatable choices for any given office. It also puts the two older parties on notice that we have someplace else to go.

In the short run you may get stuck with the "greater evil. But next time, none of the candidates will be taking you for granted.

So this time, vote for anybody but Republicans or Democrats. Stop being a pawn in the major-party game. —Nancy O'Brien, Allen Park